Ice channel cutter



Jul '21, 1970 w, RQSNER ETAL 3,521,592

ICE CHANNEL CUTTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1968 FIG. 5

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y 21, 1970 M. w. ROSNER E L 3,521,592

ICE CHANNEL CUTTER Filed May 13, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet z 0 a o O 0 0 0 0 O ATTORNEYS July 21, 1970 I w, RO$NER4 ETAL 35521592 ICE CHANNEL CUTTER 3 SheetsSheet 3 Filed May 13, 1968 INVENTORS MICHAEL W. ROSNER LOUIS D.. BOILEAU BY FRANK J, GREIPEL AT TO RISEXS Unitecl States Patent 01 fice 3,521,592 Patented July 21, 1970 3,521,592 ICE CHANNEL CUTTER Michael W. Rosner, 1344 Midway Parkway, St. Paul,

Minn. 55108; Louis D. Boileau, Grant Drive, Rte. 3, Stillwater, Minn. 55082; and Frank J. Greipel, 49 Larpenteur Ave. E., St. Paul, Minn. 55107 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 673,785,

Oct. 9, 1967. This application May 13, 1968, Ser.

Int. Cl. B63b 35/12 U.S. Cl. 114-42 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An ice channel cutter for opening and maintaining channels for winter navigation in streams otherwise frozen over. The cutter is a marine vessel whose prow is fitted with a plurality of rotary vertically extending ice engaging units each presenting an array of radially extending ice chopping blades or cutters. The ice choppers are rotated simultaneously with forward movement of the vessel to chop the ice into relatively small chunks and carry them sideways and rearwardly, or downwardly so the vessel may pass over it. The ice engaging units are desirably movable vertically for positioning for optimum efficiency. Optionally additional ice engaging units are pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the vessel adjacent the prow and adapted to be swung outwardly from the vessel for widening the channel initially cut.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 673,785 filed Oct. 9, 1967, now Pat. No. 3,468,277.

This invention relates to an ice channel cutter for opening and maintaining channels for winter navigation in streams which would otherwise be frozen over. Shipping on inland waterways is severely curtailed because of the shortness of the navigation season. Such major inland waterways as the Upper Mississippi, the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River are open for navigation for eight months or less each year. Because of this, expensive vessels are tied up and out of use for long periods of time. Because of the short season, the employment of hands is seasonal and recruiting and maintaining crews is made more difficult. Bulky goods such as coal, iron ore and the like must be stockpiled during the relatively short navigation season. This prevents the more efiicient utilization of vessels and crews which would be possible if shipping could be distributed evenly throughout the whole year.

The best ice breakers heretofore available are ineffective for maintaining winter navigation in northern inland waterways. They may be effective for maintaining open channels for a few extra days in the early winter when ice is initially forming and in early spring when ice has begun to break up. However, they are helpless against normal winter ice, which commonly attains a thickness of from three to five feet. Although numerous attempts have been made to devise means for maintaining winter navigation in northern clirnes, none has been successful prior to the channel cutter described in our copending applica tion.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an ice channel cutter in the form of a marine vessel whose prow is fitted with a plurality of rotary vertically extending ice engaging units, each of which presents an array of radially extending ice chopping blades or cutters. The cutters are rotated simultaneously with forward movement of the vessel to chop the ice into relatively small chunks and carry them sideways and rearwardly or downwardly so the vessel may pass through or over it.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the prow of a marine vessel fitted with one form of ice engaging unit according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of an ice channel cutter according to one form of the present invention on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view similar to FIG. 1 and showing one means by which the ice engaging units may be driven;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the forward port side of a vessel fitted with side ice engaging units showing how that unit maybe swung outwardly for widening a channel;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of a marine vessel fitted with another form of drive for the ice engaging units;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 and in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 4, there is shown a marine vessel, indicated generally at 10, which may be a tugboat or a towboat or a barge, or the like, built as or converted into an ice channel cutter. As shown, the marine vessel 10 has a relatively flat prow 11. It is of relatively shallow draft with a relatively shallow bottom 12 and fiat deck 13. A plurality of ice engaging and chopping units, indicated generally at 14, are supported from the prow of the vessel 10. The ice engaging units are supported in a frame including top and bottom plates 15 and 16, respectively, held spaced forward from the prow by suitable mounting bracket means 17.

A typical ice engaging unit 14 includes a hollow tubular shaft 19 internally threaded at its opposite ends and held stationary in the supporting frame by means of mounting bolt 20 engaging top plate 15 and mounting bolt 21 engaging bottom plate 16. A tubular sleeve 22 is mounted on shaft 19 to rotate relative thereto. The sleeve 22 is supported for rotation, as between bearing rings and/ or wear plates 23 at its opposite ends. Sleeve 22 is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending radial fins welded thereto or extruded as part of the sleeve in which teeth or similar serrations 25 are formed or to which are secured a plurality of ice chipping blades or teeth 25A (FIG. 9). Desirably the teeth are inclined angularly a small amount in the direction of rotation. Sleeve 22 also carries a drive gear '26 by which it may be rotated on shaft 19.

A plurality of ice engaging units 14 are disposed in parallel vertical side-by-side relation across the prow 11 of the vessel 10. The units are so disposed that the drive gear 26 of one engages the similar drive gear of its adjacent neighbors. There must be clearance between the teeth of adjacent units but desirably there is some overlap of the swaths defined by the rotation of adjacent units. This may be accomplished by staggering vertically the teeth on adjacent units (FIG. 2).

As best seen in FIG. 4, one of the ice engaging units 14 is a drive unit which is mounted slightly differently. Stationary shaft 19A is a stub shaft secured to bottom plate 16 and about which tubular sleeve 22 rotates. A rotary shaft segment 19B is splined or otherwise secured to sleeve 22 to rotate the same when shaft 19B is rotated. Shaft 19B extends through and is journaled in top plate 15. Connecting means, such as bevel gear 28, is carried by the upper end of drive shaft 193 and is coupled, as by bevel gear 29, to the drive shaft 30 of a suitable power means, such as electric motor 31.

It will be readily understood that when one of the ice engaging units is so driven, it drives the others through the inter-connecting drive gears 26, with alternating ice engaging units rotating in opposite directions. When this occurs, with the ice engaging units urged into contact with the edge of an ice layer or floe under pressure due to the forward motion of the vessel, the teeth 25 cut into and chop the ice away into small easily manageable chips which are thrown backwardly and through which the vessel can move easily. The slushy mass of ice chips is forced sidewardly and rearwardly or downwardly and rearwardly by the forward motion of the vessel.

Sleeves 22 may alternatively be provided with pairs of drive gears of lesser diameter such that gears of alternating units do not intermesh. Then, these drive gears of adjacent units are interconnected by flexible drive means, such as sprocket chains. In this manner, when one ice engaging unit is connected to a power means to be driven, a plurality of other units may also be driven from it.

The frame carrying the individual ice engaging units may be in one segment or several across the prow of the vessel. The ice engaging units may be secured to the marine vessel so as to be fixed vertically relative to the deck of the vessel. Preferably, however, as described and illustrated in our copending application, the units are mounted so as to be vertically adjustable to accommodate for differences in ice thickness, variations in the draft of the vessel, and the like. As described therein, the marine vessel is provided with a heavy duty top bracket supported from the deck and a corresponding heavy duty lower bracket supported adjacent the bottom and located on the approximate longitudinal center line of the vessel. A screw threaded shaft extends between the brackets. Corresponding top and bottom brackets are disposed adjacent each front corner of the vessel and carry a screw threaded shaft between them.

The frames supporting the ice engaging units are supported in carriers for vertical movement on the threaded shafts. The upper and lower plates of the frames are rigidly secured to the carriers whose hubs are each threaded to engage a threaded shaft. The carriers are rigdly secured together by means of an interconnecting sleeve which surrounds but does not necessarily engage the threaded shaft, and desirably are provided with end projections which engage a slot functioning as a vertical keyway secured to the hull. Motor drive means connected through a worm gear and pinion function to rotate the threaded shafts to raise and lower the units, or, since the mechanisms for raising and lowering the units are used only as widely spaced intervals and then only for short periods of time,

they may be manually operated.

Although rugged in construction, the ice engaging units and their supporting frame structure and drive mechanism are made as light as possible through the means of tubular shafts and the like to minimize frictional drag to facilitate operation with minimum power requirements. The individual ice engaging units are relatively easy to disengage from the overall assembly for repair or replacement of worn parts. When the cutting unit has the structure as illustrated in FIG. 9, worn teeth may be likewise easily removed and replaced without disassembly of the entire unit.

Optionally, the vessel is fitted with additional ice engaging units disposed along opposite sides of the vessel and adapted to be swung outwardly so as to cut a channel through ice which is wider than the width of the vessel itself. As shown in FIG. 6, additional ice engaging units 14 are disposed in a frame 33 which is connected to the vessel by means of one or more inwardly extending angular arms 34 pivoted to the vessel at 35 so as to permit the drive gear 26 of the forwardmost ice engaging unit 14 carried by the swinging frame to be moved into and out of engagement with the drive gear of the outwardmost ice engaging unit carried by the stationary frame.

As disclosed in our aforesaid copending application, means such as a hydraulic jack, or the like, are provided to facilitate swinging movement Of the side swinging units and to maintain them in fixed position for channel cutting purposes. Normally the ice engaging units on opposite sides of the vessel would be swung out symmetrically. Because the aft or outboard ends of the swinging units are otherwise unsupported, and because of the considerable weight of the units, auxiliary support means, such as a pivoting boom and cable means, such as disclosed in our copending application, are desirably also provided.

Referring now to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, there is shown a system of ice chopping units disposed in a somewhat modified array and having a modified form of drive. In this instance, the vessel 10A has a flat prow 11A to which a plurality of ice engaging units 14A are secured in a frame including top plate 15A and bottom plate 16A, the frame being secured by means of mounting brackets 17A. The structure of each ice engaging unit 14A is substantially as described except that drive gear 26A is adapted to be engaged by a worm gear 40 carried by a shaft 41 supported for rotation in brackets 42 carried by the frame supporting the ice engaging units. Worm gear shaft 41 is coupled to drive means, such as sprockets 43 and 44 and chain drive 45, to be directly driven by a power source, such as motor 46. Depending upon the direction of the threads of the worm gear 40, the ice engaging units may be driven so as to all rotate in the same direction, or all of those on the port side in one direction and those on the starboard side in the opposite direction, or alternating units in opposite directions, or the like, as desired.

In lieu of driving a plurality of ice chopping units from a single power source, each unit may be independently driven. For example, each unit may be driven directly by power means, such as hydraulic motors, mounted immediately above each unit with its drive shaft in alignment with the vertical axis of the chopping unit. Alternatively, one unit may be directly driven and one .or two adjacent units driven indirectly from that first direct driven unit.

Rate of rotation of the ice chopping units is relatively unimportant so long as they are driven at a moderate speed to maintain a constant chipping action as they are pushed against the ice by the forward thrust of the vessel. At higher speeds, the ice tends to be chipped more finely making passage of the vessel through the chopped ice somewhat easier.

In a typical installation, the ice chopping units may be from about one to three feet in diameter and from four to eight feet in length. If the frame supporting the ice chopping units is mounted to be adjusted vertically, the units need not be so long as if no vertical adjustment is provided.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

We claim:

1. An ice channel cutter comprising:

(A) a marine vessel,

(B) a plurality of ice engaging units supported on the prow of said vessel and extending the width of the vessel,

(C) each of the ice engaging units being elongated, vertically disposed and rotatable on a vertical axis,

(D) a plurality of generally radially extending icechopping teeth disposed around and along the length of each ice engaging unit, and

(E) power means to rotate the ice engaging units.

2. An ice channel cutter according to claim 1 further characterized in that said ice engaging units are disposed with close clearance between adjacent units whereby the cutters when rotated in unison inscribe a cutting swath the width of the vessel.

3. An ice channel cutter according to claim 1 further characterized in that:

(A) said ice engaging units are carried in a frame including upper and lower plates,

(B) shafts extend between said plates, and

(C) said units are mounted to rotate on said shafts.

4. An ice channel cutter according to claim 3 further characterized in that said ice engaging units each include:

(A) a tubular sleeve fit over and adapted to rotate on one of said shafts,

(B) a plurality of outwardly extending radial ribs on said sleeve,

(C) said plurality of teeth being mounted on each of said ribs, and

(D) a drive gear on said sleeve connected to said power means.

5. An ice channel cutter according to claim 1 further characterized in that the ice engaging units are carried in frames and said frames are mounted on the marine vessel for adjusting movement vertically.

6. An ice channel cutter according to claim 5 further characterized in that said means for movably mounting the ice engaging units comprises for each frame:

(A) at least one bracket rigidly secured to the marine vessel including a pair of arms spaced apart to embrace one end of the frame carrying said ice engaging units,

(B) a vertical screw threaded shaft extending between said arms and journaled therein for rotation;

(C) a carriage rigidly secured to the frame carrying said ice engaging units,

(D) said carriage engaging said screw threaded shaft,

and

(E) means for rotating said shaft to raise and lower said carriage.

7. An ice channel cutter according to claim 1 further 10 characterized in that:

(A) the ice engaging units are carried in frames,

(B) one of said frames is disposed in the port side of the prow of the marine vessel to extend aft thereof and the other on starboard,

(C) the forward end of each of said frames is pivotal ly supported, and

(D) means are provided for moving each of said frames on its pivotal support to swing the aft end away from the hull of the vessel.

8. An ice channel cutter according to claim 7 further characterized in that:

(A) hydraulic jack means are provided for moving said frames carrying ice engaging units, and

(B) suspension means are provided to support the free aft end of each of said frames.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner 

